Skeletal isomerization of n-olefins to iso-olefins on binded ferrierite zeolites

Abstract

The method of converting n-butylenes to isobutylene by a skeletal isomrization reaction wherein said reaction is carried out at a temperature of between 300° C. and 650° C., under a pressure of between 0.1 and 100 atmospheres and a space velocity of said n-butylenes of between 0.1 and 40 WHSV using a cagalyst comprising a zeolite binder selected frm the group consisting of alumina, silica, silica-alumina, clay and a combination thereof, said catalyst having a pore size of at least about 4.5 angstroms and the pore size structure is characteried by intersecting 10-member ring and 8-member ring channels.

We claim: 
     
       1. A process for the skeletal isomerization of an n-olefin of from 4 to 12 carbon atoms to provide a branched olefin product which comprises contacting the n-olefin under skeletal isomerization conditions with, as skeletal isomerization catalyst, a zeolite present in a binder, said zeolite having a pore size of at least about 4.5 angstroms and a pore structure characterized by intersecting 10-member ring and 8-member ring channels. 
     
     
       2. The process of claim 1 wherein the binder is selected from the group consisting of alumina, silica, silica-alumina, clay or any combination thereof. 
     
     
       3. The process of claim 1 wherein the skeletal isomerization conditions include a temperature of between 300° C. and 650° C., a pressure of between 0.1 and 100 atmospheres and a space velocity of n-olefin of between 0.1 and 40 weight hourly space velocity. 
     
     
       4. The process of claim 1 wherein the n-olefin is an n-butene. 
     
     
       5. The process of claim 1 wherein the zeolite is an aluminosilicate or an isomorphously substituted T-zeolite in which T is B, Ga or Fe. 
     
     
       6. The process of claim 1 wherein the skeletal isomerization conditions include a temperature of from 400° C. to 580° C., a pressure of from 0.5 to 4.0 atmospheres and a space velocity of n-olefin of between 1.0 and 20 weight hourly space velocity. 
     
     
       7. The process of claim 1 wherein the zeolite is selected from the group consisting of dachiadite, epistilbite, ferrierite, heulandite, stilbite and any combination thereof.